Reality
by OverSweetNightmare
Summary: Sly knows how harsh reality can be. He's been through it all, and it's never been easy. Now he must face a new reality: losing the one you thought you loved, and slowly falling for another man. SlyxOC, onesided SlyxCarm, slash. On hiatus.
1. The Beginning of a New Life

**Sly Cooper is copyright of SuckerPunch, and all characters, ideas, ad blah blah blah related to the Sly Cooper franchise belog to SuckerPunch.**

**Trey Wright is copyright of my dear friend GhettoToaster, ad thanks to her for allowing me to use him!! Love ya!**

**Now read. :P**

The room was pleasantly cool. I pulled my fingers through the strands of fake brown hair that made up my wig. My eyes flickered back and forth beneath the heavy sunglasses, my nerves frayed as I waited. I was in a hurry.

The man returned to the counter, handing me the package I needed. I thanked him hurriedly before walking swiftly out. The hot air of the murderous California summer hit me hard. I grimaced, wishing I had a tank top at least. But no, I had a red cotton shirt and a thick brown leather jacket. To add to it, my pants were tight black jeans.

I began jogging towards the parking lot where I had left the black Dodge Charger. The car was nice, I had to admit, with 22" rims and windows so dark that no cop would ever even see the color of my fur, but I didn't have much time to appreciate such small things. Cars weren't my specialty anyway; they were Murray's.

But as I crossed the street to the lot I was surprised by the sound of police sirens. I turned my head, gasping at what I saw.

A group of vicious looking cops were chasing after a lone man. He was a wolf, with silver fur and a white tail-underside. He had long blonde hair (to his shoulders) topped by a backwards black cap. His shirt was short-sleeved and white, his pants tight and a jean color. His shoes were a deep brown.

His features stood out from the pigs chasing him, and I was immediately captured by his almost-feminine looks as he neared. In his arms, I soon noticed, was a bag.

I jumped quickly out of the way as he barreled by, and watched with pity as he tripped over a crack in the cement and fell down. He was sobbing loudly. I turned again, seeing the cops, and took action without a second thought.

I scooped him up and shifted my package so that I could hold both. I darted, listening in triumph as the cops screamed after me. But I was fast, agile, and – above all – I was Sly Cooper.

The wolf was silent as I set him down beside the car. Tossing off my glasses and wig I commanded him to get in. As I threw the package and myself in the front seat, he climbed in with the bag gripped tightly in his arms. I turned the key and slammed my foot against the gas pedal so hard it hurt my leg.

We screeched out of the parking lot, the cops and their cars far behind. I shrugged off the jacket when I got the chance, and then I decided to get to know the shivering ball of fur in my passenger's seat.

"Who are you? I haven't seen someone dart from the cops crying since I last saw Carmelita."

He looked over at me. As I tilted my head to meet the gaze, I saw that he had brilliant blue eyes that made me want to just not look away. He was taking me in, gazing at me, until I looked at the road again.

"My name is Trey."

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. From the look on his face, I was getting no more than that. I focused once more on the road. Behind us I could hear the distant sound of police sirens. _Tell him my name or not?_ I wondered, contemplating the fact that I knew no more than _his_ name.

"My name is Sly."

I heard him gasp. I didn't look that time, knowing he was looking at me. I bet that package in my lap started looking suspicious right about then. The sirens were growing louder just then, and I once again slammed my foot as hard as I could against the gas pedal.

Trey was whimpering. I heard it. Either my identity or our speed was scaring him. I swerved between cars and roads, wishing so fervently that Murray was driving, not me. I'm not a big driver. I like action – sure, driving can be considered action, but my legs were still for the most part and my balance up to the damn car.

Holding the steering wheel with one hand, I fished out a cell phone from my pocket. I dialed a quick number and put it to my ear. As the phone rang, I jerked the steering wheel so that we took the corner just in time. I heard Trey moan.

"Hello?"

"Murray! I'm on my way back. A guy was in trouble out by the store – I picked him up. The cops are after us. Mind helping?"

"O-oh! Sure, Sly! I'll drive out and get 'em, don't you worry!"

"Thanks, pal."

I flipped the phone closed and turned another corner. The sirens were drilling into my head and a headache was quickly forming. I snarled, rather irritated, and tried to get the car to go faster. Then it just stopped.

"Shit!" I growled, punching the dashboard. "I forgot about the gas!"

_Damn Murray, where are you?_

I saw Trey shake his head. "They can't catch me, I need this. Is there anything you can do?"

I glanced up into his eyes. They were wide, pleading, and oh so blue. I closed my own brown eyes and sighed. "Of course."

"Step out of the car with your hands up!" snarled a female voice over a megaphone. _Oh no…_

I grabbed my cane, which was in the back seat, and stepped out. Trey was huddled in the passenger's seat like a scared puppy… which, considering whatever his age could be, maybe he was. I stood there, defiant, before the parked police cars. My cane was rigid in my sweaty palms.

"Hello, Cooper. Long time no see."

I glared over at the speaker. The sun was behind her, making the blue tinges of her hair stand out. She raised her gun, pointing it at my head. I sensed it was no empty threat.

"Carmelita."

"You're going to jail, Cooper, finally. You've tricked me too many times."

"I was trying to follow my heart. Apparently that didn't work."

"I'm not talking about that, now am I, Sly?"

"I suppose not."

We stood there, two people in a love/hate relationship, pulled from some old western film to reenact our bloody battle. Except I didn't have a gun to draw with. Just my trusty cane, that's all.

Carmelita snarled at me, the glimmer of her red lipstick standing out from the shadows on her face. "Where's the other one?"

"Him?" I asked, motioning to the car.

"Yeah. Get him out here."

I shook my head. "Whatever he did, forget about it. It's just you and me."

"That's how it was before, Sly."

"I'm not talking about that, now am I?"

"I suppose not."

After all I'd been through, after everything I'd risked, was our relationship destined to end like this? Were we destined to hate?

I smirked as the van roared onto the street, Murray whooping in victory as the cops ran out of the way.

**Muhahaha! Slash, yes. Yaoi. Whatever. Love it! Sly x OC. No body reviewed my other story, but it sucks anyway. Jah. I'll rewrite it sometime...Ah, what does Sly have in that package? Who is Trey? What did Sly do to Carmelita?! Joo will see soon enough. If I get reviews. BLEH. No flames, please.**


	2. Our Curse

Carmelita and her guards jumped out of the way just as I ran to the passenger's side of my car. As I pulled Trey out, Murray pulled up next to us.

"Get in the van," I told him, and I jumped into my own car before he could reply. I scrambled to the front seat, ignoring my jacket, glasses, and wig. I only focused on grabbing my package. Once I had it I jumped back out of the car.

Carmelita was recovering from the scare as I threw open the back of the van and hopped in. Trey was in the front seat, still shivering like a Chihuahua. Murray eyed him worriedly. Once I slammed the back doors he was looking at me again.

"Step on it, pal! That girl isn't gonna waste her time!"

The hippo nodded, slamming his foot down in the same manner I had. I held the package close to me as we screeched onto another street. _Poor Carm,_ I thought, just beginning to hear the sirens as we rounded yet another corner. _She's trying so hard._

We drove on in silence. No radio, no talking, and no phone calls. The only sound was the distant shriek of sirens and the car's wheels against the road. I could also hear my own pounding heart. It didn't matter how many close calls we had, or how many times we had to go so fast, because I would always feel my heart start pounding. It's not something that's easy to get used to… being a thief and all.

We were nearing the hideout when the sirens faded entirely. That seemed to be a sign for talk, because Murray looked at me in the review mirror with his most serious expression.

"You get it, Sly?"

I nodded, my heart just beginning to calm. "Yeah. It was a little hard, since I had to help this guy and all, but I got it."

Murray relaxed a little. "Good."

He then turned a little to look at Trey, his large brown eyes worried. "You okay? You look really upset."

Trey took a deep breath. "Y-yeah… I'm okay… just a little frazzled."

Murray grinned. "Okay. What's your name?"

"Trey Wright."

Oh, so _Murray_ gets the last name. All I got was his first… then again; it's easy to talk to Murray. I suppose I can understand. We rounded one last corner and came to a dirt path going through the trees. Murray drove on in, his expression much happier now that everything was alright. He's such an excitable guy.

The van was parked in the garage and we all stepped out. I held my package, Trey held his bag, and Murray… he held his gut. We stepped into the dimly lit kitchen from the garage.

I flicked on a light switch and set my package down on the counter. Then I hesitantly turned to Murray. "Hey, buddy…"

He looked at me a bit fearfully. He knew that tone; that was my 'bad' tone.

"Listen, pal… this might not work. You have to know that. We never know with this stuff. As many times as we've dealt with it, it's still hard to understand."

He nodded slowly. Trey was giving me a curious expression. I smiled at him before giving the little package to Murray. "Go give this to Penelope. She'll know what to do."

He nodded, taking it and walking off. I sat down at the table and sighed. I put my face in my hands, wrapping my tail around the chair leg. I heard the scrape of wood against tile as Trey sat next to me.

"So… what's going on?"

I looked up into his pretty blue eyes. He tilted his head, blonde locks spilling sideways. I smiled a little at how cute it looked. And then, I mentally beat myself for use of the word 'cute.' No idea where that one came from.

"Guess I'll tell you," I said, sitting up straight. "But it's a bit of a long story."

He shrugged. "I've got nowhere to be."

……………….

It all started a bit after my 'betrayal' towards Carmelita. See, you gotta expect that something like faking memory loss doesn't last forever – not even for me. After my last adventure – fighting some crazed monkey who knew my dad for my inheritance – I hit my head and told Carmelita I had forgotten who I was. She took the bait, telling me I was 'Constable Cooper.' Oh, and if you don't know her, she's that lady who was yelling at me.

See, I loved her. I loved her a lot. However… I guess it slipped. She found out that I was lying. And while I had been her 'constable,' we had gotten pretty deep into a relationship, and I was actually planning on proposal. But she saw it differently.

See Trey, turns out she's pretty black and white on her views. There are no 'ulterior motives' or 'secret passages' for her. Once she found out I was lying, she went for the most obvious route – I had only done it to get close, to hurt her and make her weak, so I was promptly put in a jail cell. Go figure.

I was able to contact Murray, Penelope and Bentley through a cell phone Carmelita had forgotten I owned. Bentley and Penelope hooked up with Murray, and they came and busted me out. I was back in the thief business. Nothing is ever a happy ending, though…

I didn't care about the Fiendish Five anymore. They were history. See, they were a group of… well, five, that killed my father a long time ago. I fought them a while back for a book I owned. A special book, if you will. But one of the members – a voodoo priestess named Mz. Ruby – had been let off for good behavior. But, as Carmelita had never noticed, that gator had some ulterior motives.

Mz. Ruby found out about my betrayal, my escaping, and then my location. It was late at night when she came pounding on our door. Of course, I was out practicing moves I had almost forgotten, so my turtle pal Bentley opened the door. Before he could react, she had cursed him. Just like that.

See, Ruby's powers had gotten stronger. Bentley was cursed something that made him pretty sick. Mz. Ruby just laughed, and when Murray and Penelope rushed in, she was gone. But her voice echoed in the air – they say she said, "I have finally gotten my revenge upon you, Cooper! Watch as your friend dies right before your very eyes!" And she was purely gone.

I came home to a sick Bentley and worried friends. It's been a few weeks since then, and Bentley's not doing so well. We found out about some voodoo counter potions that could help. This one was recommended by a very reliable source. Now, we can only hope it works.

……………….

I watched Trey's face carefully once I finished. The entire time I had been talking, he had been giving a wide-eyed, thoughtful expression. Now I just had to wait for his reply. Slowly, he shifted his bag to the floor and leaned closer to me.

"Wow… there's a lot of stuff I still don't know about you Sly, but that was _fascinating._ I mean, I'm really sorry about your friend, but you've got such a dangerous and amazing life!"

I grinned at the wolf. "Thanks, Trey… I think… I usually don't go about handing my life story to just anyone. Hey, maybe someday I can tell you it all!"

Trey's grey-and-white tail started thumping against the back of the chair. "Oh, I'd like that, Sly! I'd like it a lot!"

I chuckled. He was so sweet, despite how mysterious he had seemed in my car. He was no longer that enigma that had been shivering in the passenger's seat. He was a happy little guy that wanted to know about me. And who ever wants to know about _me?_

I smirked playfully. "Okay, I'll give you a deal, Trey. Do you have a home?"

He blinked. "No."

"What, you live on the streets?"

"Now I do."

I tilted my head. "Alright then. Wanna stay with us for a while?"

His tail started up again, and the smile returned. "Sure!"

"Okay. But first, tell me _your_ story. And what's in that bag?"

**And OverSweetNightmare has returned! Chapter two is now up mah homies, and I've gotten some really nice reviews! Love to joo all! More reviews means more confidence, joo know. More confidence means more chapters. Yay! –scurries off-**


	3. Conflict is Misery

Trey's tail stopped wagging. He tilted his head, blue eyes conflicted, and then he looked away from me.

"Um… well…"

I blinked, arching an eyebrow at his hesitation. It was a simple question… but maybe he killed someone. Hell, I wouldn't wanna talk about it either.

Without looking back he cleared his throat to speak.

"It's… kind of a long story. But I'll tell you what you should know. I'm from Germany. I learned English when I was seventeen, and I moved here with my father. Recently he started losing money. So I… started stealing for him. Valuables. Cash. All kinds of stuff.

"A week ago, we lost our house. He told me to go out and get us as much as I could carry. So I… um… robbed a bank. That's what's in the bag."

I lowered my ears and clicked my tongue. Damn, this kid seemed too… perky, too innocent, for robbing a friggin' _bank._ That's not even my line of work, and let me tell ya, I've stolen worse that a few hundred. But banks are too "goody" for me to take from.

"So…" I began, trying to catch his eyes again. "If that's what's in it, why do ya wanna stay here? Don't you need to get back to your Dad?"

He had looked at me, but then his eyes lowered again. I hated seeing someone look that way. I like happy. In fact, I love happy. Smiles make my day. Unless, of course, it's a raging lunatic smiling over me as I dangle upside down over a vat of boiling water…

Ahem.

Trey was silent for a while before whispering, "He told me to get money a month ago. I still did it now because I wanted to… fulfill his wishes, get myself a place. He was… murdered. Owed some money."

I grabbed his muzzle, lifting his chin so he'd look me in the eye.

"And you omitted this the first time because…?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask."

Ah, there we go. So blondes _are_ stupid. Or maybe it's just the really, really bright blondes. Don't tell Penelope I said that.

I shook my head, letting his muzzle out of my grip and looking at the table. My thoughts were making my head throb painfully. So, Bentley was still awaiting a cure. No idea if the new one worked. Carmelita was after me like never before… in the bad way. This new guy, Trey, had a dead Dad and a new police warrant. Oh, and he's German – which I _really_ couldn't tell form his light voice. Hm, what else? Oh yeah. I lost my nice car. It's probably in an Interpol garage, as "evidence." Screw that.

I was getting ready to leave the table when I heard miserable sniffling beside me. I turned, and I was pretty surprised to see Trey hunched over, hair covering his face, with small droplets of liquid falling onto the table below his muzzle.

"Trey? You alright?"

He lifted his head to look at me. His pretty blue eyes were red, and his expression was that of sorrow.

"My Dad, Sly. I miss him… s-so bad… he was all I ever had. I… I w-want him… back…"

He broke out into sobs that seemed to shake his whole body, so I did the only thing I _could_ do. I wrapped my arms around him, bringing his cheek to mine. His fur was warm and sticky where the tears had flattened it. I felt new tears fall onto my own fur.

"It's okay, Trey. I lost my Dad too. He was the most amazing person ever. He taught me everything I know, from thievery to romance. But I know he's still there – in the pages of the Thievius Raccoonus he wrote, on every traversable laser, and in the very cane I hold. That's how I got over it – I realized he'd never really go."

Trey sniffed a few more times before moving his face so that his muzzle was under my chin. He hugged me back, tightly, bringing our chairs a bit closer to each other.

"Thanks, Sly," was all he said.

I was a bit startled when Murray suddenly raced in, panting as he stopped before me. I tried to let go of Trey, but his grip was too tight, so I just let him stay there.

Murray had a huge smile on his face. I took this as good news – every other time he'd walked in looking depressed.

"Sly, you won't believe it! He woke up! He said he felt okay, and he even sat up! It's working, Sly! It _did_ work!"

I had to rip myself away from Trey, and once I did, I raced into the living room and up the stairs. Murray and Trey followed, and when all three of us got to Bentley's room, he was already in his wheelchair. I almost started crying as I knelt by his side and hugged him.

"Bentley… oh, Bentley, I'm so glad you're okay…"

He wrapped his small arms around me the best he could, smiling and saying he was glad I'd worried – oh, but as long as I didn't worry too much, because that was bad for my health.

Good ol' Bentley.

But then, as I held him, I suddenly realized something… he was fragile. Bentley was the weakest member of our team. Sure, he had a powerful mind, and his bombs kicked some ass, but… he was frail.

I easily remembered watching him from the Safehouse window while I recouped after the whole Contessa ordeal. He was running around, getting money, figuring out how to bust Murray outta jail – he was a real trooper. But I remember tensing, ever so slightly, when I saw one of those damned buzzards take a shot at him. It had nicked his shell pretty bad. But… what if that shot had gotten through his shell? Or maybe his neck? For fuck's sake, he's in a wheelchair now. How easily he could get killed…

I didn't realize I was actually crying until Trey joined our hug, wrapping his arms around my neck from behind and nuzzling the back of my head. Coming to my senses, I realized my cheeks were wet, and I actually felt kind of embarrassed.

I backed away, letting Trey introduce himself to Bentley and Bentley do likewise. As I watched, I knew I'd have to be careful. There would be no telling Bentley he was banned from missions, or tailing him every minute of the day. He knew when he was in danger. It was just my turn to realize he _could_ be in danger.

I was smiling and wiping tears away as Bentley got hugs from everyone (and a kiss from Penelope). I guess he had us all scared for awhile there. But once happy times were over, it was time for some bad news from me.

"Yo, Bentley?"

He blinked up at me as I stepped closer again, smiling a bit sheepishly.

"What, Sly?"

"We uh… got a bit of a situation."

He gave me that 'I know what you're about to say' looks and told me to go on.

"Well… while I was getting your medicine… I kind of, um, ran into an old problem."

"Carmelita?"

"You amaze me with your mind reading, Bentley."

He chuckled before wheeling towards the door and closing it. Then, he turned back to the rest of us, who waited for him to speak again.

"So, how bad is it?"

I cleared my throat, glancing to Trey and back.

"Well… she's on me like a starving, rabid Coon dog."

"That bad?"

"Oh yeah."

Trey looked a bit confused, but I knew Carmelita. Now that she'd found me she was friggin' _pissed._ I mean, I'm not _that_ hard to find, especially when I'm not hiding most of the time. Just in public.

Bentley wheeled back to his bed and was silent for quite a few moments, pondering the situation.

"Well, we have a few options. Move, surrender, or take the bull by the horns."

I blinked, confusion probably sprawled all over my face. "You mean, take the fox by the gold hoop earrings? Sorry Bentley, I'm not _that_ courageous."

He turned to face me, looking just as serious as when Penelope had been taken form us. "I'm serious, Sly. This has to end. I don't care if it's fun for you – she's going overboard. She'll kill you if she thinks she's got the right."

I was appalled. Carmelita? Kill _me? _Hell, I didn't think she'd ever go that far. Maybe life sentence. Or months upon months of community service. Perhaps therapy. But murder? No. Especially not after I was her first.

"Bent, you got it all wrong. She's not a killer. She's nice, remember? Just a bit impatient. Giver her time – it'll all go back to normal soon."

Bentley shook his head with a sigh, and I felt frustration start up inside of me. He thought I was wrong? I knew more about Carmelita than she probably knew about herself.

"Sly, it's not ever going back. Don't you know women? You broke her heart, the way she sees it. She won't stop until she's got revenge – even if it means splitting your heart in two with a knife."

I ground my teeth together and tried to calm down, but it wasn't working. Nobody _ever_ insulted Carmelita, not near me. And what I was hearing were insults.

"Oh yeah? Well, _fuck you._ Carm isn't a killer. She loves me, and I love her, and that isn't changing. She'll come around. If things don't go back to normal, I'll go apologize – being a married cop is better than hearing your love interest insulted by your _friends!_"

Damn, what happened to 'I'm so glad Bentley's alive?'

I turned around, shoving the door open and marching down the stairs. Okay, so I'm not really known to react that harshly – _ever –_ but I loved her, and it was kind of irritating that Bentley thoughts she was gonna kill me. I mean, he didn't even know what we'd gone through together. What we'd done. He didn't know that bond, even though she seemed to think I was trying to hurt her. I figured she'd come around eventually – she had to, right?

I went outside and climbed up to the roof via a rope I'd hung myself. I liked going up on the roof, because it seemed like most of my life was spent on roofs. I mean, I can see a lot of things up there. Other houses. Ambushes. Waypoints, escape routes, hazardous machinery… ya know, the good stuff. And going up there when I was mad was even better. The air is still pretty hot, but it's cooler up there, and cool air is kind of calming.

I lay down on my back and stared up at the sky. The sun was just started to set, and I could felt my heart practically melting at the beauty I saw. The sky was dark directly above me, with shades of pink and orange shading the edges. The stars were only visible through the darker areas. The moon was stuck between some pink and blue, and the sun was a burning crescent on the horizon. I thought my anger would fade after that… but it didn't. The beauty just reminded me of Carmelita, which reminded me of what Bentley said, which made me mad. And I _hate_ being mad. I like… well, ya know, happy.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a light voice from down below.

"Hey, Sly!"

I sat up, leaning over the edge of the roof and spotting Trey. He was looking at me with expectant blue eyes. His tail was wagging, but his ears were lowered. Hm.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"I, uh… I don't really know why you got so mad, but if you wanna talk… I mean… you helped me, so…"

I felt my lips stretch into a grin. He wanted to help me feel better. Good, because I didn't want to be mad. So I stood, stretched, and hopped down to him. The look in his eyes let me know he wasn't used to someone jumping from heights like that and not breaking an ankle. Yeah, I'm a show off, so what?

I smiled at him and put a hand on his thin shoulder. "Sure, I'd love to talk."

I felt kind of put down, though – instead of one of my long time friends, the new guy has to come comfort me. I mean… I kinda expected Penelope. Or Murray. Maybe even Bentley, who never wants me mad at him. But… _Trey?_ Those guys suck some serious balls sometimes, ya know?

Trey's ears perked and his tail went full speed. Then he grabbed my hand, tugging me back over to the rope. "Let's go back on the roof, Sly."

I arched an eyebrow, but grabbed the rope nonetheless.

"I can't climb. Piggyback?"

"Huh?"

Instead of answering, he jumped on my back. Um… _awkward._

I climbed the rope anyway. I mean, Bentley's been on my back before. And I've carried Carmelita. Trey was almost as thin as her (or maybe he was), so it was no problem. Just really… ya know, awkward.

Once up on the roof he let go of me and ran to its center to sit down. I followed less enthusiastically, because I'd been on the roof plenty of times. Kid made it look like he'd never been higher than a three-step ladder.

When I sat down next to him, Trey smiled wide and pointed ahead of him. "Oh, Sly, look at the sunset! It's so pretty!"

"Yeah… I suppose it is."

In the end, we didn't even talk. We just kinda watched the sunset together. In truth, it really calmed me. His presence distracted me from everything else. And he was so cute; I couldn't stay mad near him.

Don't tell me I called him cute again, okay?

When the sky was dark except for the moon and stars, Trey put his head on my shoulder. At first I thought he'd fallen asleep. Then, he spoke.

"The night sky reminds me of you, Sly. It reminded me of you before we actually met. You're so dark, so mysterious… yet so captivating, so beautiful…"

My ears perked and I glanced down at the top of his head. _Did he just… beautiful? Me? What?_ I blinked rapidly and decided to just forget about it. _Maybe he meant 'graceful.' He just forgot the word. I know I'm graceful. And captivating, sure… and I'm mysterious alright._

I started when his cool hand suddenly slid up the bottom of my shirt. I felt my face heat up and my ears flattened against my skull.

"So beautiful… so handsome. That's what you are, Sly. Has anyone ever told you that before?"

I tore away from Trey, seeing him fall a bit before catching himself. I stood up and brushed my shirt off.

"Uh, thanks for being there. I'm, uh… going inside."

As I jumped down from the roof, I tried to banish the look of hurt I'd seen on his face from my mind.

**OverSweetNightmare is back, beeches! The plot bunnies stuck razor sharp, iron carrots in my head. Yay plot bunnies! They burst forth from my fingers and do it all for me. And they gave me many more ideas for the story. REJOICE! I'll start on the next chapter right now, okay? I'd don't wanna get hit by heavy objects anymore… -sob-**

**PS: Remember, Trey belongs to GhettoToaster! Don't give me praise for him! D:**


	4. Never Easy

**Guess who's back, BITCHES?**

**Me! :D**

**TreyxSly lurve for the win! Yays!**

When I woke up, I felt worse than I had in a long time. All through the night, my dreams had been filled with thoughts of fighting my friends and the pain I'd seen on Trey's face…

I sighed and lifted myself from my bed. I hadn't changed before going to sleep, and my clothes were sticky with sweat. I was in the middle of undressing when there was a knock on the door. I looked over at it in confusion. Who wanted me?

"Come in."

The door opened, and Murray walked in. I pulled on a clean shirt before looking up at him. He looked furious. His eyes were narrowed, his brow furrowed, and his lips curled up into a slight snarl. I backed away a bit and gulped.

"What is it, Murray?"

He shook his head and looked away. "Sly, this is too much. Last night, Bentley was almost in tears when you left! And then, later, after you came inside…" He huffed. "Trey came in, and he _was_ crying."

My eyes went wide. "What? Why?"

Murray glared at me. "He said you hated him."

"No! No, he took it wrong! I don't _hate_ him!" I walked past Murray. "I gotta go say sorry…"

"Oh, but you won't talk to Bentley?"

I stopped. Then, I slowly turned to look at him. "Murray… he insulted the love of my life. _I_ don't need to apologize."

Murray rolled his eyes. "If _she's_ the love of your life, then I think you might want to apologize to _yourself._"

Before I could say anything, he had walked past me and was gone. I stared down the hallway for what felt like hours. My friends didn't trust the woman I loved… why? Because she was a cop? It didn't make sense…

With a sigh, I walked down the hallway and into the living room. Bentley and Penelope were either outside or sleeping, because I didn't see either of them, and Murray had probably driven off. As I entered the living room, I saw Trey asleep on the couch.

My heart gave a painful lurch. The fur below Trey's eyes was wet. He really _had_ been crying. Besides that, he wasn't wearing his hat, and his golden hair was spread out all over the pillow. It was a strangely beautiful sight. I sat down beside his feet and watched him. Below the cheap blanket he was using, I could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. It made me feel bad for what I'd done… but what else could I do? He'd taken me by surprise… calling me handsome and putting his hand up my shirt… what kind of guy does that? Well… a gay one, obviously, but still! He was too forward about it.

"Sly?"

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of his voice. His eyes were open, and he was looking at me almost fearfully. I smiled the best I could and put a hand on his leg. "Hey, Trey."

He gulped and sat up. I pulled my hand back into my lap and watched him carefully. His ears were lowered, and his eyes were looking a bit watery. I decided I had to talk.

"Trey… look… I'm sorry. Okay? You… you surprised me. I didn't expect… I mean…"

He bit his lip nervously. "I know… I just… do you hate me?"

"No, no!" I moved closer to him and put a hand on his leg again. "No, Trey, I don't hate you. I… I didn't what to do. So I left. Alright?"

He sniffled and nodded. "Okay…"

I sighed and pulled my hand back. "Things have been really tough for me lately, Trey. Losing Carmelita… almost losing Bentley… my nerves are really frayed. And now, I'm trying to figure out how to get with Carmelita again, and all of my friends hate her…"

"Why do you still love her?"

I looked warily at Trey. He was staring right back. "Well…"

Trey tilted his head. "She doesn't seem that special to me. She seems… mean."

I shook my head. "She's not. She… she's not mean. She's just tough."

"She's not worth it."

I narrowed my eyes at Trey. "Don't say that about her."

He shrugged. "But I'm right. Sly, don't you see? For her, you'd have to give up your entire legacy… is it worth it? Even if you train your kids to be thieves too, what about _you?_ You're the last Cooper, right? And I heard about that Clockwerk guy on the news… you've done a lot. You can't give it up for some girl. She doesn't _fit_ with you. I can tell, and I've only seen her once… she's not the same. She's pretty, Sly, but is she correct? She wouldn't even let you train any kids you had to be thieves, come to think of it… could you let her destroy your legacy, or can you move on to someone who's right for you?"

I stared at Trey. Of all the people who'd ever said anything bad about Carmelita, what he said made the most sense. Of course, I didn't want to agree to anything that involved me giving up on Carmelita, but…

"Who could be better for me than her?"

Trey shrugged. "You'll have to find someone. Have you ever considered being with a guy?"

I blinked and slowly shook my head. "Well, no."

Trey smiled at me and sighed. Then he leaned over and pressed his nose to mine. "How about this. Tomorrow, why don't you and I go somewhere? It can be wherever you want to go. Let's hang out. Hm? It'll be fun."

I was surprised by the close proximity, but I didn't back away. "Well… alright." It sounded like it could be fun. Obviously, he had some plans for the occasion. I decided it would be a good idea to get to know him better.

Trey giggled and wrapped his arms around my neck. "Great. Now, why don't you go apologize to your friends?"

~`'~

"Look… I'm sorry. I guess I overreacted. I just didn't feel so good about… well… you saying Carmelita would kill me."

Bentley smiled weakly at me. "It's okay Sly, I understand." He reached up and took my hand. "Look, Sly… we're always going to get in stupid little arguments. I said something that bothered you, and I'm sorry for it. So let's put it behind us and call it a day. Alright?"

I grinned down at my friend and nodded. "Just make sure to tell Murray it's all good for me, okay?"

We laughed together, and I could feel an immense weight fall off of my chest. Still… things didn't feel quite right. I knew something else was coming. After all, Mz. Ruby was bound to show up again soon… and I still had to solve my Carmelita problem.

But hey! I was going to have a nice opportunity to hang out with Trey, and that would be fun. For the first time in a long time, perhaps I'd be able to escape the stress of my everyday life and just enjoy myself.

But when is my life ever _that_ easy?


	5. Amusement

"Oooh, look at that!"

I turned to look at what Trey was pointing at. It was basically a huge roller coaster, rising high up into the sky and going back down in an angle that made my stomach jump uncomfortably.

"Beautiful," I said, shrugging. "Wanna go on it?"

Trey smacked my shoulder. "Hell no! I just wanted to point it out."

He'd successfully convinced me to go to a local amusement park with him. Of course, I felt totally exposed; my only change of costume was just wearing a red tee shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Trey said that maybe if I just dressed like a normal citizen no one would notice me. So far he'd been right, but I was still pretty nervous.

The wolf tugged roughly on my hand, and next thing I knew, we were headed towards one of those rigged games you play for stuffed animals.

"Aw, c'mon," I whined. "I hate these."

"I bet you're great at 'em," Trey encouraged. "Please, Sly? That little puppy is so cute."

I sighed and pulled a few bucks out of my pocket. After sifting through them for two dollar bills, I handed them to the stand's owner. I was given six tennis balls with instructions to throw them through one of the three hoops behind the counter. I knew there was a great chance that the tennis balls had extra weight or were too light, but I tried anyway. With one last look at Trey's hopeful face, I chucked the balls at their targets. Pure luck gave me a five out of six score, and I got the puppy Trey had his eyes on.

"Oh, thank you!" the wolf squealed as I handed it to him. I received a tight hug and a disgusted look from the worker behind the counter. Instead of saying anything, I decided to just walk away. Trey was too happy with his puppy to notice and followed me.

"I would have stolen it if I didn't win," I said nonchalantly. "Those games are usually rigged anyway. It would serve him right."

Trey giggled and grabbed my hand with his free one, the puppy in the other. "Oh, sure you would. What would you do, deck the guy and take the little puppy? I think they'd call security."

"Oh, be quiet," I growled. "It's the thought that counts."

I didn't dislodge his hand, even though I knew people were looking at us like they knew what we did behind closed doors. He wanted to hold my hand; I thought I might as well let him. It wasn't like any of these people really knew us anyway. Well, they may have known me, but… they didn't _know_ they knew me. If that makes sense.

We spent a good few hours running all over the park, riding all sorts of rides and playing all sorts of games. I began to relax more and more in Trey's presence. I started to tell myself that he was actually pretty neat, and he could be a valuable asset to our gang with the right training. I told him this, and he was all too excited. The incident on the rooftop was fading into the back of my mind and being replaced by these new, fun memories.

The sky was turning pink as we finally took a rest on one of the park's benches. We sat in silence, me watching the sunset and Trey playing with the stuffed puppy. It was sort of medium sized, with blue fur, big brown eyes, a fluffy tail and perked ears. Trey couldn't get enough of hugging it, it seemed. I smiled in his direction before looking back to the fading sky. A calm, cool wind was blowing past us. Everything felt comfortable.

"Thanks for today," Trey muttered, playing with the puppy's ears. "I had a great time."

"Me too," I agreed, looking at him. "I should be thanking you."

"A hug works…"

I chuckled and hugged Trey. He made the puppy wrap its plush arms around my abdomen. He giggled at that and leaned into me. Everything still felt comfortable, despite the close proximity. I'd hugged guys before… It was all a matter of putting his 'orientation' out of my mind. He was a great guy, gay or not.

"Fags."

I jerked away from Trey, but not to save my image. It was to see who had dared to say that. Standing in front of our bench was a tall, muscled Doberman pinscher. His beady brown eyes were narrowed in disgust, a sneer on his lips. I laid my ears back and growled at him.

"Leave it," Trey admonished, going back to playing with his puppy. "It's no use."

"Oh, standing up for your little butt buddy?" the Doberman cooed in a sickly sweet voice. "How cute."

"I suggest you back off before I bash your skull in," I hissed.

Instead of a sharp comeback, the Doberman stared at me long and hard. "I've heard that voice before," he said slowly. "Do I know you?" My stomach dropped into my bowels.

"No," I snarled. "I'd never comingle with an asshole like you. Beat it, man."

He sneered again and shook his head. "I'm waiting for my _girlfriend._ We agreed to meet here."

"Then call her and change plans," I said, struggling to hold back my temper.

"Can't, bud," the Doberman said with a snort. "No phone."

"Let's just go," Trey chimed in, taking my hand. I ripped it from his grip and stood up.

"No, I'm settling this."

We glared at each other venomously. He was a few inches taller than me, but I decided to ignore the fact that I was basically looking up to him. Growls started to rumble from both of our throats as he stepped closer to each other. I could hear Trey protesting behind me, but I ignored him. Just then, a feminine voice came from behind us. A voice I recognized.

"What are you idiots doing?"

We all turned around. The Doberman and Trey both looked confused, but my eyes went wide in recognition. Of all people, I never expected… I shook my head and looked her in the eye, hoping she didn't recognize me. She was smiling, though.

"Who the hell are you?" the Doberman asked. She didn't answer, but instead strode forward, passing by the bench and pushing me aside.

"Hello, Michael. I'm to understand you're dating Carmelita Fox. Am I right?"

She looked at me and winked. I gulped and lowered my ears. "She's…?"

"That's right," she said, shrugging. "At least that's what I heard. Sorry you were too late, Poodle."

"Who the hell are you?!" Michael asked again.

She laughed and pulled a card from her pocket. "You can call me Neyla." She handed him the card and laughed. "Old Iron Sides should know who I am… but she won't really have the chance to see me, if all goes as planned. Tell me where she is or you die," Neyla finished cheerfully. From her other pocket she produced a pocket knife with an incredibly sharpened blade.

Michael gasped and backed away an inch or so. "She's… she's… at… at the other side of the park!" he yelped out, staring at the blade. And with that, he ran for his life.

Laughing, the tigress sheathed the blade and put it back in her pocket. I arched an eyebrow at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Sly. You silly, silly boy. Did you think a mere explosion would keep me down? Never!"

I shook my head and sighed. "Why do you want Carmelita? And how did you know she was dating… him?"

Neyla sat down next to Trey, complimenting the puppy before looking up at me. "Simple, Poodle. After a few years of trying to rebuild your life, you get angry at someone and want to exact revenge."

My eyes widened. "What? Why? I'm the one you should be mad at!"

She leaned back and sighed. "Stupid bugger, isn't he?" she asked Trey. He giggled and nodded. Then she glanced in my direction once again. "I was thinking that maybe, I could actually blame Carmelita… seeing as I'm rather fond of you."

I growled and crossed my arms. "And? You betrayed me! And I tried to kill you! Be mad at _me!_"

"You underestimate me, Poodle," Neyla purred. "I betray everyone. Anyway, I thought to myself, 'Well, Sly's a good guy right? He may have stopped the Klaww Gang, but he's better than any two-bit cop.'" She bit one of her claws, looking off to the left. "Besides… with you dead, nothing would be exciting. With Carmelita dead… well… all the better! Am I right? Oh, wait, you _love her._ Well, that's a bit of a shame. A fellow like you would be better with… me! Or even this guy." She motioned towards Trey and then looked at him. "I don't know who you are, but I like you."

"Trey Wright," he said, extending a hand.

"Neyla! Pleasure to meet you," the tigress said happily, shaking his hand.

I covered my eyes with a hand and sighed. "I'm not gay, first of all," I growled. "Secondly, I love Carmelita, and I always _will."_

"Speaking of Old Iron Sides," Neyla hissed, standing up and pointing behind me. Sure enough, a look over my shoulder confirmed that Carmelita and Michael were running towards us. Her trusty shock pistol was in her hands as always. To my surprise, Michael had also obtained one.

When they were both close enough to aim at us, they stopped and did just that.

"Well well well," Carmelita snarled. "Not only has Neyla returned from the dead, but she's hanging with two wanted fugitives!"

"You say it like he's not special," Neyla said, jerking a thumb towards me. "Give the 'coon a bit of credit." I glared in her direction. She grinned, now brandishing her old whip instead of the knife.

"Put your hands up, all of you," Carmelita growled.

"So," I began casually, "already back on the dating scene? Bravo, Carm, bravo."

She cocked her gun and the growl emanating from her got louder.

"Well, gentlemen," Neyla purred, "I say we run!"

A split second after those words, the three of us were racing towards the park's exit with two cops hot on our trail. I was used to the feeling, but Trey looked a bit scared. Neyla, on the other hand, looked like she was enjoying it thoroughly.

"Got a getaway car, Poodle?" she asked as we swerved behind on of the rides. The park was almost empty at this point, and we met no resistance.

"Yeah," I panted. "In the parking lot."

"Brilliant!" she yelled in her wonderfully British way of talking.

Once outside the park, we flung ourselves into my car, Trey and I in the front and Neyla in back. I started it up, and we zoomed off just as Carmelita and her boyfriend reached the parking lot.

"Whooo-hooooo!" Neyla yelled out the window.

"That… was… _awesome!_" Trey cheered, holding his puppy up. "I've never had such an adrenaline rush!"

I stayed silent, glaring out the windshield.

"Oh, don't be upset, Poodle," Neyla said. "Carmelita's just trying to find Mr. Right. Don't be so down! She's not right for you, anyway. Didn't you two break up before?"

I sighed and glared at her in the rearview mirror. "How do you know these things? And how did you know where to find Michael?" I asked.

"It's all a matter of asking the right people the right questions," the tigress replied. "Besides, I've been watching you and Carmelita for a while now. After the explosion, I just climbed out of the water! I don't know why I was spared, but I was."

I shrugged and looked out the windshield again. "Well, whatever."

"By the way," she continued, leaning forward. "Can I join your gang?"

"_What?!_"

"Oh, come on, Cooper," she whined. "I'm better, see? And together, we could bring down Carmelita…"

"Okay, _one,_ I want Carmelita alive! And two, how the hell can I be sure you won't betray me again?"

Neyla sighed and leaned back, looking out the window. She was silent for a moment or two as she thought of a good reply. "Ah, I got it! Think of it this way, Cooper: how could I betray you? By telling Carmelita where you live? You could get out of that no matter how much backup she brought!"

Trey decided to chime in. "Sly, I don't know exactly what went on between you two, but she seems okay. You should let her join your gang."

I took a deep breath and gritted my teeth. "We'll see what the rest of the gang says."

"Yes!" Neyla cheered, throwing her hands up.

Trey giggled, and I felt his gentle hand touch my leg. "You're a good man, Sly," he said sweetly.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't."

**WHAT A DOUBLE TWIST pretzel.**

**Yeah I don't know.**

**Look, the AN is at the bottom this time! Betcha didn't see that coming.**

**Reviewplz.**


	6. The Adventure Begins

I leaned against the door frame, seething at the scene before me. It had taken all of ten minutes for Bentley and Murray to forgive Neyla for what she'd done to us. Penelope, having never met her, was fascinated by her and liked her immediately. I was confused – why let her in? They were treating her like she was part of the family. I found it impossible to trust her, but as Bentley pointed out, it had taken me long enough to trust the Panda King as well… but it the end he was worth it.

"Aw, cheer up Poodle," Neyla said as she sauntered over to me. "I won't hurt you, I promise. Your lil' friends like me, see? No worries."

I narrowed my eyes at her and snorted. "Why do you call me Poodle?"

The tigress grinned and put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me down to her level. "Well, it's not hard to guess! Poodle, I'm practically insane! You'd go insane too if you'd gone through what I did. What with being a giant robotic owl and such…" She let me go and chuckled to herself. "Poodle's a cute name, so it stays."

I blinked confusedly at her and backed away. "Well… alright… Does everyone else realize you're, uh…?"

"Crazy as a cuckoo bird? I'm sure they do." With that, Neyla walked past me and towards the front door. I watched her leave, and from one of the windows, I saw her leap up to a nearby rooftop.

Bentley wheeled over to my side, looking out in Neyla's direction as well.

"You might want to go with her," he said, looking up at me. "She's just going for a stroll, it would seem. And it's nighttime. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"She's insane," I said, shaking my head.

"Wasn't she always?"

I looked down at my friend and arched an eyebrow. Then I thought about it… he was probably right. There was never really a time when Neyla was right in the head.

"Look, Sly," Bentley began, crossing his arms, "I know you don't like her, but she could be a valuable asset to us. Don't you think?"

"She wants to kill Carmelita," I growled back.

We were silent for a time, our eyes locked in a silent battle. Then Bentley sighed and turned his chair so that his back was to me.

"I don't want to say that I know what's better for you that you do," he said quietly. "But sometimes that exactly how I feel."

He wheeled away, and I didn't stop him. Instead, I sighed to myself and walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch next to a sleeping Trey. He was sitting up with his head resting on the back cushion. The stuffed puppy was in his arms, held tightly to his thin chest. I reached over and removed his cap, which was askew because of his strange position.

I leaned back and closed my eyes. The house was silent now except for the low mutters coming from the next room, most likely from my three friends. I blocked out that noise and let my mind relax, focusing on the happier things that had been happening earlier that day. It didn't take long for my thoughts to shift over to the negatives. Carmelita was dating… and he was no doubt another cop. Her perfect match. I wondered to myself if they'd already slept together, and if she loved him. I wondered how much he loved her. If only she could realize that no one could lover her as much as I did…

I opened my eyes and looked over at Trey. He was still asleep, submersed in his no-doubt happy dreams. A tiny grin was even on his muzzle. I knew that he liked me in that odd way of his… he was gay for me, basically. I knew that. And I'd eventually figured out that Penelope liked me, and I was sure that Neyla still did. And yet… I chased the one person who hated my guts. And even when she _had_ liked me, I blew it. I figured that thieving was more important. But the old lust came back… the old desire to have her for myself…

I shook my head and looked up at the ceiling. In that moment, I would have given anything to ask my father for advice. Of all people, he would know what to do; I was sure of it. I silently cursed Clockwerk for what he'd done… even my revenge hadn't dulled that feeling.

"Dad?" I whispered softly, still staring upwards. "If you're out there, anywhere…" I glanced at Trey to make sure he was still asleep before continuing. "If you are… help me… please? I need you now, more than ever…"

The voices in the other room had stopped. Everything was silent. I waited desperately for some sort of response. After a few minutes, I sighed and looked down at my knees. Then I curled into a ball on the cushion I occupied, put my head on the couch's arm, and went to sleep.

~`'~

"Aw, isn't that cute? Look at the lil' lover boys, all snuggly…"

I didn't look up as much as I _glared_ up, and I wasn't surprised to be met by Neyla's green eyes. At the same time, I noticed that something was weighing down on me, and I knew who it was just by the look of delight beaming down at me. My thoughts were confirmed when I heard a yawn, and then a soft, embarrassed "Sorry" that was undoubtedly from Trey.

"It's fine," I muttered, still glaring at Neyla. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say you moved in your sleep."

He got off of me and stood up, stretching before walking into the kitchen. I continued to glare at Neyla, whose smile didn't falter in the least. She then sat down next to me, and I reluctantly sat up so I could continue to glare at her.

"Oh, don't look so mad," she said, flicking my side with her tail. "I just found you. I'm not the one who put him on you!"

"You're evil, and I hate you," I growled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Aw, love you too, Poodle."

I decided that there was no use in glaring at her. She wouldn't get the message of hate, even if I told her it was there. So I got up and walked into the kitchen.

I was actually rather surprised when I saw Trey making breakfast. It looked like he was cooking eggs and bacon, and from the smell wafting around the kitchen, that was exactly what it was. I sat down at our small table between Penelope and Murray, who were both staring hungrily at Trey's food.

"I didn't know you cooked," I commented.

"Yeah, well… I'm sort of good at it," Trey said, shoveling some bacon onto a plate. "Besides, you guys have all this good food, but you never eat it. You just go for the cans."

"None of us can cook," Penelope said. "We try to, but…"

"We burn everything," Murray finished.

Neyla walked in, waving her whip around cheerfully. "Breakfast? Lovely," she purred, hopping up on the counter by the stove. "Whatcha making, puppy?"

Trey grinned at her and pointed his spatula to the pans. "Bacon and eggs. Want some?"

"Definitely," Neyla replied. "It smells delicious."

Bentley wheeled into the room and looked around a bit confusedly. "It's getting pretty crowded, isn't it?" He shook his head and rolled up to Penelope's side. "I remember when we were just a three-person gang. Now we have, what, six members?"

"Nine, if you count Dimitri, Panda King and the Guru," I said.

"Well, I mean currently working members," Bentley reasoned. "Not the idle ones."

"Currently working?" Neyla shook her head and leapt down from the counter. "Currently working my ass! You fellows aren't doing anything. Why, you're just sitting around the house all day!"

Trey glanced in her direction as the rest of us looked down at the floor. She was right; we weren't really busy.

"What happened to the Cooper Gang I knew, eh? Always roughin' it up with guards and criminals… fighting for the right to steal… running from the cops…! The most exciting thing that happened that I know of was yesterday, and that was all _chance._ Now, c'mon. Tell me: what's the deal? You've got a bit of a problem, don't you? You have to! Something must be going on!"

I glanced up and shrugged. "Well, we had a bit of a spat with one of the original Fiendish Five members, Mz. Ruby."

"There ya go!" Neyla walked over to me and ruffled the tuft of fur atop my head. "Now why don't you blokes go deal with her?"

I looked at Bentley, wondering the same thing. He just shrugged. Murray scratched the back of his neck, and Penelope just looked in a different direction.

"Please tell me you aren't serious…" Neyla put her hand over her eyes and sighed. "The Cooper Crew has gone soft on me… who would have guessed?" She leaned over to look me in the eye. "Now, Poodle. Tell me exactly what this Ruby girl did."

I told her the same story I'd told Trey, but this time with input from the rest of my gang. Neyla listened carefully and nodded a few times until the story was through. Then she gave us her opinion.

"You're all a bunch of stupid buggers; you know that, right? You can't just wait for her to come back and actually kill one of you. You should go to the source and fight! And when that's done, get up off your tails and steal things like you used to. Just because Clockwerk is gone for good and your little family vault has been opened doesn't mean that there's nothing left to do."

"She's right," Bentley muttered. "We have to get moving."

"Thanks for the inspiring words Neyla," I commented sarcastically. "But you are right… I guess we should take the bull by the horns."

I stood up and turned to face Bentley, Murray, and Penelope. "Bentley, I want you to find out where that gator's hiding. Murray, get the van ready for a long trip if necessary. If Bentley finds her too far away, I want you to score us I ride – whether you buy the tickets or do it illegally. Penelope, make sure our gear's up to date and find out if ThiefNet has anything new in stock. If there's anything you think we need, get it. I'll train Trey; I'm sure he'll be of use when I'm finished with him." I turned to face Neyla and sighed. "Neyla, I want you to help me with Trey." She grinned and nodded. I turned back to the table. "Now, can we do this?"

Everyone agreed except for Trey. Instead he pointed to the stove and asked, "You guys still want breakfast, right?"

"Of course," I replied. "But plans come before food."

"I wish they didn't," Murray grumbled, holding his stomach.

~`'~

Neyla stood on the far end of a wire that was stretched between two rooftops. She beckoned to Trey, who wobbled unsurely on its other end. "C'mon, puppy! Just walk!"

I stood below both of them, ready to catch Trey if he were to fall. He already had at least four times, but Neyla and I both had high hopes for him. His balance wasn't the best, but…

"That's it puppy, keep coming," Neyla encouraged as Trey slowly walked across the wire. "Keep looking at me, puppy. If you look down you'll fall. That's it, you're doing fine…" She held out her arms and leaned forward a bit; her posture was relaxed and balance perfect. Trey continued to come forward, his legs shaking and his body tense.

I walked underneath him at the same pace, sure he was going to fall again but hoping he wouldn't. I was terrified that I wouldn't catch him, even though I knew I could.

A few more shaky steps led Trey into Neyla's arms. She pulled him onto the rooftop, hugging and congratulating him. I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall.

"Way to go, Trey! I knew you could do it," Neyla cheered.

"Yeah, but I only did it once, and it was hard…" Trey muttered. I chuckled and looked up at the rooftop.

"Practice makes perfect, Trey. Let's do it a few more times. Neyla, switch me places."

I climbed up and positioned myself at the wire's other end, and Neyla went down below. Trey was able to come across the wire two more times before falling again. We put him right back up and he tried again. By mid-afternoon, he'd made it across the wire about eleven times, and he was shaking less each time. After the seventh time, there were no falls. He was in the middle of his twelfth cross when Bentley came out. I walked to the middle of the rope and helped him the rest of the way, and we both went to the ground to hear what Bentley had to say.

"She's in the same place as last time," he informed us. "She went right back to her old stomping grounds. There are reports of mass haunting in the area, so my best guess is that she's up the ante with her ghosts. There are tons more this time, basically. And I wouldn't be surprised if she's placed magical wards around the swamp."

"So how do we get in?" I asked. "We don't have any voodoo mystics… the Guru is the closest we've got, and I doubt he's what we need."

"I'm looking for people," Bentley said. "Hopefully I'll find someone. If not, maybe we can ask the Guru if he knows anyone we can use."

"Thanks for telling us," I said, and he nodded before wheeling back into the house. I turned to Neyla and Trey and shrugged. "Either of you know mystical people?"

Neyla shrugged, but Trey nodded. "I know a guy who does magical stuff… and I'm pretty sure he does voodoo, too."

"Then we'll ask him if we need to," I said with a sigh. "Now let's take a break. I'm tired."

**Not much action in this chapter. The next will be more exciting. And a new OC might be on the way! Well, new to this story, anyway. He's one of my oldest characters.**

**And Raithe? If you don't know who it is, you're an idiot. :)**

**Reviewplz. :D**


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